Create a Fairmount Greenway

The Fairmount neighborhoods should benefit from the same level of community green space providing recreational and environmental benefits that many other Boston neighborhoods enjoy. The Collaborative works with a number of partner organizations in the Fairmount Greenway Task Force to plan how to create that green space in the Corridor. Over 400 residents, both young and old, have participated in planning and organizing for a proposed six-mile Fairmount Greenway. Residents survey vacant lots on walking tours and begin to imagine what kinds of new open space can be created there—community gardens, safe natural areas, and different types of recreational uses. Open space projects help to build a sense of community as neighbors decide what they want to see and help to prepare action plans to realize their vision. The Greenway will promote more active and healthier lifestyles and will become a connecting link to the different Fairmount neighborhoods.

The Greenway route loosely follows the Line with improved bicycle lanes and enhanced “green streets” that make residents feel comfortable walking to the stations, to parks and to other neighborhood destinations. These streets will have more plantings, traffic calming features, and new “green infrastructure” to help recycle stormwater runoff and prevent water pollution.The Fairmount Greenway Task Force is working with the City of Boston and the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) on the Fairmount Planning Initiative to help develop two half a mile pilot segments of the Greenway Path to help demonstrate what the path can look and feel like. The segments are located on: